Eternal Life: The 14th Tournament
by xBakaTulipx
Summary: Resurrecting an old fic of mine saved by the gallant Allenby Beardsley XD. As the 14th Tournament rears it's head Dr. Kasshu is murdered and something very important is stolen from his lab, something which could spell disaster for the shuffle alliance
1. Default Chapter

BakaTulip: OMBFG! I though this story was lost forever and ever and ever but thanks to Allenby Beardsley I got it back! peace sign So now... own with the reposting

November 10, FC 63  
  
Military Facility, Neo-Sweden Colony, 11:30 PM  
  
Twenty-one year old Allenby Beardsley drummed her fingers on the desk in her room. Her emerald eyes looked glassy and a bit distant as she stared at the ceiling, humming softly to herself. She giggled softly, and opened the desk drawer and rummaged through a few papers. She pulled out a small flyer.  
  
The edges were crumpled and part of it was ripped. "Andrew Graham and Argo Gulskii versus Domon Kasshu and Allenby Beardsley," she read the flyer, she remembered the match clearly, it stood out vividly in her mind; she hadn't liked what happened after wards, though.  
  
"Domon Kasshu," she said softly, "Just a few more days..." she set the flyer down on her desk, and leaned against it yawning loudly. "Soon, Domon," she grinned, she still loved Domon with every fiber of her being.  
  
Doctor Belleiman popped his head into the room, "If you are going to sleep, Allenby, a bed is probably more comfortable than a desk."  
  
She sat upright brushing a strand of aquamarine hair out of her face. "Oh... I wasn't sleeping, I was just... erm... resting my eyes..."  
  
"I thought you'd like to know there is a phone call for you..."  
  
"At this hour?" She looked confused, but a thought came to her mind. 'Maybe it's Domon,' she thought to herself. She picked up the phone sitting on the desk as the scientist left the room. "Hello?"  
  
"A-Allenby..." a moaning voice came over the line, "s-stay away from the Gundam fig..."

There was a thud from the other end of the line and now an eerie voice, somewhat like nails on a chalkboard came on the other line, "Hello, Allenby." Maniacal laughter followed these words; words that no doubt she had heard before but the tone was malicious.  
  
"Who is this?" the young woman demanded.  
  
"Oh, that doesn't matter right now... it really doesn't..." the high- pitched words seemed haunting.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"You..."  
  
Allenby covered the speaker with her hand so whoever was on the other end of line wouldn't hear her frightened gasp.  
  
"You can't hide Allenby..." there was a soft click as the line went dead.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------  
  
November 11  
  
Dr. Kasshu's Laboratory at the Neo-Japan Space Colony, 1:45 AM  
  
"Father?" Domon's called out from the doorway. He peered into the inexplicable darkness. "Father?" his voice echoed back to him. He took a step into the building, it was darker than night inside, it seemed as though no one could be inside, yet the aging scientist was no where to be found, and at such a late hour Domon had begun to worry.  
  
As he wandered through the darkness he heard a sound of something grinding between his feet and the floor. He bent down and ran his fingers across the floor. He pulled up his hand abruptly as he felt something sharp slice his finger. 'Broken glass? How did broken glass get all over the floor?' He noticed a faint spot of light out of the corner of his eye. It was a flashlight, the batteries were nearly dead, but he picked it up anyways and continued his search.  
  
As he walked farther into the darkness he could hear the sound of the dim monotone sound signifying a phone off the hook. The circle of light guided by Domon's hand flashed across the floor. A drop of blood from his wounded hand fell to the floor mixing with another puddle a blood which had been shed there previously. He fumbled for a light switch and finally founded it. There was a slight hum as the fluorescent lights turned on. Domon's eyes widened at what was before him. Papers and books carelessly lay on the ground scattered in all directions, broken bottles littered the floor, but the last sight is the one Domon wanted never to see. Dr. Kasshu lay in a puddle of blood, a phone off the hook next to him and a knife protruding from his chest.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------  
  
A/N: DUN DUN DUN DRAMATIC REVERB! Ok sorry to leave off with a cliff hanger here


	2. Chapter 2

November 12  
  
The Kasshu Mansion Neo-Japan Colony 5:28 PM  
  
Silence filled the house, as Domon sat in the living room amongst his friends, all of them dressed completely in black as they had all come back from the funeral of Dr. Kasshu. Domon sat looking forlorn as Chibodee, Sai, George and Argo looked around uncomfortably.  
  
Down the hall, Rain sat with Nastasha, Cecil, Marie-Louise, Bunny, Cath, Janet and Shirley, who had accompanied their partners to Neo-Japan. The eight women sat in complete hush; one could have heard a pin drop a mile away. Rain glanced at the wedding band on her left hand, wondering what was so urgent that Domon had to talk about that she shouldn't be hearing.  
  
"What in the world could they be talking about in there?" Nastasha's demanding voice broken the tense silence.  
  
"It doesn't seem as though they are talking at all," replied the young princess, "it's too quiet."  
  
"Excuse me for a moment, please," Mrs. Kasshu said, standing up, smoothing the wrinkles out of her black dress. Her shoes clicked softly against the ground as she made her way to the kitchen.  
  
The silence amongst the 5 men was unnerving. The soft creak of the door opening at the other end of the room sounded like the drop of a bomb.  
  
"Pardon me, gentlemen," Rain said stepping in with a tray with a pot of coffee and 5 mugs.  
  
"It's alright, Sis," Sai Saici replied.  
  
Rain set the tray down on the coffee table in front of the easy chair Domon was sitting in and excused herself from the room.  
  
Domon picked up the pot and poured the dark liquid into one of the mugs. He held it in his hands watching the steam rise into the still, chilled air of the room. His pitch black eyes gazed into the deep liquid as if staring past his own reflection trying to see to the bottom of the mug.  
  
There was a soft thud as Chibodee sprung from his seat. "Alright! Out with it Neo-Japan! Why did you call us all out here?"  
  
"I, myself, have been wondering the same thing," George added.  
  
"I, too, am curious," Argo stated.  
  
"Yeah, what's the deal, Bro?" Sai chimed in.  
  
Domon banged the mug down on the table, "It has to do with my father's death."  
  
"We understand that you are upset about this, Bro, but what does that have to do with us?"  
  
"I'll show you..." he said with a monotone ring to his voice. He stood and briskly walked out of the room. The others followed him.  
  
He made his way to his father's laboratory and broke the yellow police barrier.  
  
"Uh... Bro? Should we be going in here?" Sai asked as he peered into the doorway.  
  
Chibodee pushed past Sai Saici wanting to find out what was so wrong and why Domon was wasting his time this way. George followed Chibodee inside, his usually confident stride uneasy as he saw a glimpse of broken glass on the ground. Argo trailed along silently, his stern face was emotionless looking at the slight wreckage. Sai Saici growled. "Don't leave me out here!" he said as he scampered to keep up.  
  
Domon stopped in the main area of the laboratory where police teams had already began searching the area for clues. Prime Minister Karato was already there. "Domon, the police have uncovered this..." he said handing Domon a neatly folded piece of paper. Domon's eyes scanned the paper and dismissed Karato.  
  
George peered around the wreckage, "Monsieur Domon, what caused all of this?"  
  
"This is the reason I called the four of you here..." Domon began, "this wasn't merely murder; someone was after something here. My father was intrigued with the idea of immortality, hence the ability to self-recover in the Ultimate Gundam. Recently he was working on an immortality serum, word must have gotten out. The only reports we heard of where that at 11:50 PM on November 10, a ship was seen heading in the direction of Europe on Earth departing not far from here."  
  
"If that falls into the wrong hands, there could be serious trouble!" Chibodee shouted.  
  
"Do you know the identity of the knave who committed this deed?" George inquired; his melodic voice had a serious tone.  
  
"Yes, we must find this person before it's too late, however with the Gundam fight so quickly approaching it may be a hard task," Argo mentioned.  
  
"We could use that to our advantage," Sai piped up, "We could travel the Earth and with the 5 of us searching it would be easier than just one of us..."  
  
The other 4 nodded and the plans were set, they agreed that they would use the Gundam fight as an excuse to track down the person who stole the serum and Dr. Kasshu's notebooks.  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: The Gundam fight begins; Allenby doesn't listen to the warning she was given, and descends to Earth. However, shortly after she falls into the hands of the thieves, two familiar faces with dangerous ambitions.


	3. Chapter 3

It is now three months into the 14th tournament. The Shuffle Alliance had searched nearly every inch of Europe in search of the perpetrator. They had covered all countries except Neo-Sweden.  
  
March 18 FC 64  
  
A hotel in Neo-Italy (Rome) 12:54 A.M.  
  
Domon sighed softly. The dark haired man looked at his wife who lay asleep in bed next to him. He bent down kissing her gently on the cheek. Rain stirred slightly and smiled in her sleep. Domon threw the covers off and grabbed his clothes off of the floor. He got dressed quickly, glancing sideways at the clock. He pulled a piece of paper out of the desk and scribbled a note. He wrapped his cloak around his shoulders and opened the door, looking back at Rain. "I love you," Domon whispered as he walked out making his way past the limits of the city to where the bud carrier was. He got inside God Gundam [Burning Gundam]. The mobile trace system initiated, he mounted the mobile horse Fuun Saiki and took off.  
  
A few hours later Rain woke up, her ice colored eyes shimmered sadly as she looked around the room seeing that Domon wasn't there. "Just how he used to act," she muttered as she noticed the note he left.  
  
Dearest Rain, I need time to think, to clear my head, you know where I'll be Love Domon  
  
The location instantly popped into her head, Guyana... she recalled how he had gone there to master the super mode years before. She called the other 4 members of the Shuffle Alliance, and they agreed to meet there in a few days.  
  
March 20th  
  
A hidden warehouse just beyond the Guyana highlands  
  
Allenby slowly opened her eyes peering into the vast darkness. She didn't know how she had gotten there, all she remembered was trying to stay awake afraid that if she fell asleep she would fall victim to whoever was after her.  
  
She tried to move but metal bonds held her back, she had been chained to the wall. She could see nothing, but heard the soft click of human footsteps in the dark. She heard a familiar malevolent cackle, somewhat like the one she had hear over the phone that night. One dim light clicked on illuminating a small circle in front of her. The approaching figure stepped into the light, thin lips curled into a malicious smirk. His beady eyes focused on her.  
  
Allenby glared. "Well, if it isn't the little mermaid himself," she said commenting on the man's long red hair.  
  
The man reached his hand out wrapping his fingers around her throat, "You aren't in a position to be talking like that."  
  
Allenby winced as he tightened his grip on her neck, "Go ahead and kill me, Michelo."  
  
Michelo sneered, "Do you think we'd bring you all the way to South America just to kill you?"  
  
"We?"  
  
Another figure stepped into the light. It was the corpse-like Gentle Chapman.  
  
"What do you two want with me?"  
  
Chapman silently pointed to the far wall of the large warehouse where 4 gigantic figures could be seen: a humanoid figure, a mammoth-like figure, a bird-like figure and a ball-like figure.  
  
Allenby gasped, "Th... those are..."  
  
"The four kings..." Michelo grinned, "we brought you here since you were the original pilot of Walter Gundam. We need you. We need you to help us destroy the Shuffle Alliance. It's our revenge, you were one of us before, join us again."  
  
"Never..." she growled  
  
"you will... you will come to us..." Michelo simpered letting go of her throat. He turned to Chapman "Convince her, there is still one left." He walked over to a table picking up a vial filled with clear liquid and a syringe before disappearing into the darkness.  
  
Chapman stepped up to her holding a knife in his hand. He held the blade to her neck with a maddened smile on his face. Allenby shut her eyes; she'd prefer death to betraying Domon. 'But wait...' she thought, 'why would he do this if they need me alive?' Chapman slid the blade about 1/8 of an inch into her throat. She cringed trying not to scream, but what struck her as most astonishing was the fact that she felt no blood trickle from the wound. "But... but how?"  
  
Chapman held up another vial of clear liquid. "It's an immortality serum, now that you've been given it there is nothing left for you but to be immersed in pain forever... until you join us."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: sorry to disappoint reviewer myAllenby This was a previously written story and it's C/A ;;;

* * *

March 23  
  
Guyana Highlands 10:30 PM  
  
Domon sat above a waterfall staring into the churning water below. "The last time I was on earth I was trying to free my father, now I am here to avenge his death." He stood up and wandered back to his campsite passing those of the other SA members. He sat down by the campfire and Rain walked out of the tent. She placed a blanket around his shoulders and set next to him leaning her head on his shoulder. He kissed her gently on the top of her head and stroked her hair. "I love you Rain, and now you are all I got, my mother, my brother, my master, my father...all gone."  
  
The Warehouse 11:06 PM  
  
Allenby hung feebly from the wall starved and weak. She used to believe Domon would rescue her but that hope faded. The few days she had been captive seemed like eternity. All that kept her from turning her evil was the fact that she knew it was wrong but that soon was slipping away.  
  
Chapman was thoroughly annoyed with her obstinacy. He walked over to a small control panel grinning evilly as he depressed a single button sending a wave of pain through the young Neo-Swedish woman's body. She whimpered trying not to cry out, her eyes glimmered with true suffering as she watched Chapman turn a dial. The pain that shot through her body intensified 10 fold. The wail she let out could have been heard miles away.  
  
"Oh shut her up," a creaking voice came from the shadows. Michelo had returned. "She's giving me a headache."  
  
Chapman flipped a switch and the pain slowly stopped.  
  
"Give her a rest," a low voice rumbled, it was the new comer who had arrived with Michelo.  
  
Michelo approached the weakened Allenby, filled a syringe with the clear liquid and injected it into her arm. He threw the syringe away and unchained her. Allenby fell to the ground unable to support her own weight. Michelo dragged her into a closet and set the electronic lock. Not that it mattered, she couldn't even sit up, how could she try to escape? The one thing that puzzled her was why he had given her another injection.  
  
The Campsites 11:10 PM  
  
The ear shattering shriek reached the Shuffle Alliance. It was an abrupt awakening as the 5 ran to meet up with each other.  
  
"Am I the only on who heard that?" asked Sai.  
  
"No, it reached my camp as well," replied Argo.  
  
"That voice. .. a lady in distress," George commented.  
  
"It sounded like. .." Domon started.  
  
Chibodee cut him off, ". .. Allenby!"  
  
Domon turned to go back to his camp.  
  
"But, Bro, aren't you going to go after her?"  
  
"She's a big girl, she can take care of herself," he said, before disappearing into the darkness.  
  
"But she could be in real trouble!" Domon didn't hear Sai's plea.  
  
"I'll go," said Chibodee, "I want to!"  
  
The front door to the warehouse flung open. "Allenby? You here?" called the 24 year old Neo-American. "I hope she's alright," he whispered to himself. Michelo awoke hearing Chibodee stumble through the darkness. He grinned, thinking how easily he could attack the unsuspecting trespasser but got another idea. He walked over to the closet in which Allenby lay. The soft electronic beeps of the keypad caught Chibodee's attention. "Allenby? That you?" he asked, wandering right into Michelo's trap. He walked right into the room, and the door slammed shut behind him. Chibodee banged loudly on the door. "HEY! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?"  
  
Allenby sat up, her voice was shaking just as she was. "Ch-Chibodee? Th-that you?"  
  
Chibodee looked over at her, he rushed over and knelt next to her draping his jacket over her shoulders. "What happened to you?"  
  
Allenby quivered in pain.  
  
"It's alright you don't have to tell me now." He stroked her hair comfortingly.  
  
Allenby shook her head. "No, I should tell you, there may not be time later."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Those men, they want to kill you. .. you and the rest of the Shuffle Alliance."  
  
"I won't give up without a fight," he said confidently then turned serious. "Now when you say those men, who do you mean?"  
  
"Michelo and Chapman."  
  
"The little mermaid and the walking dead?"  
  
Allenby nodded softly and lay back down, thoroughly exhausted. She shut her eyes as a tear of misery slipped out of the corner of her eye.  
  
Chibodee sighed. He hated to see Allenby in this state. 'I promise to get you out,' he thought to himself.  
  
"Yeah.. . hey Chibodee? Why did you come?" Allenby asked.  
  
"I heard you scream."  
  
"Were you the only one?"  
  
"No Neo-Japan and the others heard too."  
  
"Domon heard? And he didn't come?"  
  
"I think the fact that he got married changed his feelings towards you."  
  
"He's married?" she asked sadly.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Allenby blinked back a few tears then smiled. "I'm glad I'm the one who told him to tell Rain he loved her in the first place."  
  
"I know you loved him too."  
  
"I promised him if he told Rain he loved her, I'd find someone else to love."  
  
"I think you already have," Chibodee smiled, kissing her gently on the lips.  
  
A/N: Chapter 5: The newcomer appears before Domon, who is he and what are his intentions?


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: note how Chib and Allenby referred to Michelo as the little mermaid, this was what my friend's impression of him was and I thought it would be a funny thing to use.  
  
March 23  
  
Domon's campsite 2:43 AM  
  
Fuun Saiki whinnied softly, hearing familiar footsteps approaching. A figure made its way into the clearing and towards Fuun Saiki. He gently stroked the steed's mane. "Hello again, old friend," his deep voice rumbled.  
  
The soft noises of the stallion awoke Domon, and he stumbled out of the tent, rubbing his eyes. As his vision began to clear, he blinked dumbstruck at the sight ahead of him. "No.... it... it can't be..." he said to himself before taking a step forward. "M-Master?"  
  
The man clad in purple nodded.  
  
Domon blinked again. "But... it can't be..."  
  
"Domon," the Undefeated of the East spoke, "I'm standing right in front of you, yet that is all you can say?"  
  
"If you're really Master then prove it to me!" Domon demanded.  
  
"Answer me Domon! School of the Undefeated of the East!"  
  
"Winds of the king!" Domon replied, softly at first.  
  
"Zenshin, Keiretsu..."  
  
"Tenpakyouran!" Domon called, his voice more confident now.  
  
"Look, the East is Burning Red!" the two called out in unison (why Rain didn't wake up at this point I will never know).  
  
Domon nearly fell to his knees crying the way he had in Shinjuku. "Master? How were you able to come back?"  
  
"I myself am not completely sure of that. However, the fact is I have come here to warn you."  
  
"Warn me? Of what?"  
  
"There is an evil presence lurking here."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yes, the 4 kings have been revived, and Michelo and Chapman are attempting to gather the original pilots."  
  
"But... you are one of them..."  
  
"I know. For now I will play along, but I warn you, be on your guard, as soon as they have gathered all pilots, they'll attack."  
  
"But why don't you take them out now?"  
  
"Because they are immortal, as I am too."  
  
"WHAT!? HOW!?"  
  
"It's a serum I don't know how they came across it but..."  
  
Domon cut him off. "I DO! THEY MUST HAVE BEEN THE ONES THAT STOLE THE SERUM AND MURDERED MY FATHER!"  
  
"Don't jump into anything, fool. There is one flaw in the serum, it only lasts 5 days. As long as one can get another dose of the serum they will stay alive. They used the serum to revive me."  
  
March 23  
  
Closet in the Warehouse 6:52 A.M.  
  
Allenby and Chibodee sat asleep in the corner. Allenby's head resting on Chibodee's chest and his arm around her shoulders. The metal door clanged open loudly arousing the two young adults. Michelo and Chapman stepped in and Chibodee held Allenby closer. Michelo smirked as he looked at Chibodee. "Looks like we caught a rat."  
  
Chapman nodded. He grabbed Chibodee by the collar of his red shirt and dragged him to his feet pulling a knife from his coat pocket. Chibodee kneed him in the groin, and Chapman lost his grip, "Take that you loser!" the Neo-American called. Chibodee grabbed Allenby by the hand and pulled her to her feet. He shoved Michelo to the ground as he ran out of the small room with Allenby.  
  
Allenby could feel her heart pounding as she struggled to keep up; she wasn't well and didn't think she was gonna be able to get out. She knew she couldn't die but it would be a worse fate to be trapped there. Chibodee pounded his feet furiously against the floor; he wasn't going to allow himself and Allenby to be stuck in the hands of these villains.  
  
They were just about to reach the exit when Master Asia blocked off their escape path, hitting Chibodee in the head... HARD. He fell to the floor unmoving. Master Asia took Allenby by the shoulders and lifted her a few inches off the ground and threw her aside.  
  
She hit the floor with a loud thud and slid backwards hitting her head against the wall. Her vision blurred slightly, but she could still see Michelo standing over Chibodee holding a knife to the unconscious man's throat. "One less rat to take care of."  
  
"STOP IT!" Allenby cried attempting to come to her feet. Michelo shot an angry glance at her. Allenby tried to lunge at Michelo to knock him off his feet, but Chapman held her back. "LEGGO'A ME! LEGGO!" she called as she struggled futilely to break free of Chapman's grip. She looked back to Michelo who was grinning vindictively as he was about to press the blade to Chibodee's throat. "PLEASE! PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM! PLEASE!" she pleaded.  
  
Michelo looked up at her. "What's in it for me if I let this vermin keep his life?"  
  
"I... I..." she tried to of some way to convince him to stop him from killing Chibodee. Only one idea came to mind and it made her sick to think about it. "I'll ... join you... but only if you let him live."  
  
Michelo grinned happily but with malice. He turned back to Chibodee and kicked him in the chest; there was a sickening cracking sound. "Fine... I'll spare him." He turned to Chapman. "Lock them up."  
  
Allenby looked puzzled. "Me too? After I just surrendered to you?"  
  
"No offense, just don't want to risk you running off," Michelo replied.  
  
Still in the closet, 10:39 that night  
  
Allenby sat on her knees watching Chibodee, waiting for him to finally wake up. She grinned as he finally opened his eyes, but that smile melted as she remembered that she had just betrayed him and the shuffle alliance. He sat up holding his chest in pain and looked at Allenby. "Why do you look so down?"  
  
Allenby sighed, "I handed myself over to them, Chibodee."  
  
"Are you out of your mind!?"  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"Why did you do that!?"  
  
"Michelo would have killed you..."  
  
"You turned to them to save me? Why?"  
  
"Because if they had killed you, my heart would have been broken and I would have joined them anyways."  
  
"What are you saying?"  
  
"I'm saying I love you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly on the lips.  
  
The metal door slid open and a figure stepped inside. He cleared his throat, "I can see I'm interrupting something here."  
  
The two young adults spun around to see Master Asia standing in the doorway.  
  
"What do you want?" snapped Chibodee. "Allenby already agreed to join you guys, so why not give her a break? What do you want?"  
  
"To get you two out of here," Fuhai Toho responded  
  
"Huh?" Allenby looked stunned.  
  
"Did I stutter?" He stepped out of the door way to let them through. "Get out of here before Michelo and Chapman wake up. And give this to Domon," he said, handing Chibodee a piece of paper.  
  
A/N: Now that there is one pilot missing from the "team" of the 4 kings, what is Michelo scheming, and what does that paper say?


	6. Chapter 6

March 24  
  
Domon's Campsite 7:46 AM  
  
Bunny, Cath, Janet, and Shirley sat at Domon and Rain's campsite, waiting for them to wake up. Rain stumbled out of the tent, black circles of exhaustion under her eyes. Before her vision even cleared, she was bombarded by the Neo- American girls' shouts of worry. Shortly there after, Domon stumbled out. "What's all the noise out here?" he yawned.  
  
"Chibodee's been gone a REALLY long time!" Bunny cried.  
  
"He left two nights ago and he isn't back," Shirley gave a more detailed explanation of the situation.  
  
"I'm worried," Cath moaned.  
  
Janet nodded in agreement.  
  
The 6 looked up hearing approaching footsteps. It was Chibodee; he cradled Allenby in his arms, wincing each time he took a breath. His jacket was draped over her like a blanket as she slept. "Rain!" he called, despite the pain in his chest, "You gotta take care of Allenby; she's in bad shape." He set her down on the ground, then dropped to his knees, clutching his chest. He looked over at his crew. "Girls, go back to the camp." They hesitated for a moment. "GO!" he demanded, wincing. He looked over at Domon. "I gotta talk to ya, Neo-Japan."  
  
"No you don't!" shouted Rain, "You're injured too! Stay here, I'll check you out after I look at Allenby."  
  
"Fine..." Chibodee rolled his eyes. He held out the folded paper to Domon. "Master Asia told me to give this to you." Domon glanced over the paper, nodded, and then ran off to meet up with the other 3 members of the Shuffle Alliance.  
  
Within the hour, they were all sitting around the last ashes of the campfire at Domon's campsite.  
  
"I destroyed it, attack in 2 days," Domon read the brief note aloud.  
  
"First off, Bro, who is this from and what is 'it'?"  
  
"This note is from the Undefeated of the East," he said calmly.  
  
"WHAT!?" The other 3 were shocked.  
  
A voice called out from inside the tent. "It's true, and he even gave me a swift hit in the head!"  
  
Another voice followed. "Don't do that, Chibodee, you're hurting yourself."  
  
"How?" inquired George.  
  
"Michelo and Chapman," the new king of hearts replied, "They have in their possession the 4 kings, completely revived, as well as the serum created by my father. They used it to revive Master. However, not to worry, Master is on our side."  
  
"Hard to believe that!" Chibodee's voice came from the tent.  
  
"Chibodee!" Rain's demanding voice was heard.  
  
"Yeesh! Sorry!" he replied.  
  
"Well he did let us go, Chib," Allenby's weak voice could be heard.  
  
The 4 turned their attention away from the tent and back to the matter at hand. Domon resumes speaking "The flaw in the serum is it only lasts 5 days, Master has destroyed it. According to him, it will be 2 days before they are vulnerable again." He relayed the information that Fuhai Toho had given him earlier. "The point is," he continued avoiding the doubtful stares of the others, "they will be vulnerable again relatively soon and we need to be ready." He spread out a map of the area to plan their attack.  
  
Rain walked out of the tent a little while later, facing the four men. "Well..." she began, "As for Chibodee, as far as I can tell from what I have here, has a few broken ribs and will need several weeks if not months to recover. Allenby on the other hand is an extraordinarily bad condition. Though she shows no injury, has taken on some intense damage to her body and is seriously lacking energy, in my professional opinion, I am shocked that she is still alive." The 4 men look at each other and nod all had figured out that Allenby must have been injected with the serum.  
  
The Warehouse 7:53 AM  
  
Michelo scowled seeing the metal door to the small closet wide open, and the vials of serum broken, and the liquid spilled on the ground. He turned to the Undefeated of the East. "Didn't you wake up when this happened?" he hissed.  
  
"Me?" Master began, "I always sleep like a baby. Besides, couldn't I ask the same of you and Chapman?"  
  
Michelo smirked. "I'm not out yet, I still have one last plan," he said before entering one room he always kept locked. 5 minutes later he walked out and exited the warehouse with something in his coat pocket.  
  
A/N the SA prepares to launch their attack but run into some unexpected trouble.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- I think this is the best chapter I have written so far beaming with pride I got a little Argo/Nastasha fluff in here, kinda subtle but romance- y nonetheless. I like Argo/Nastasha. It's such a weird coupling convictxwarden... very interesting concept but I like it, they seem to bring out a small bit of softness in one another...  
  
March 26  
  
Just beyond Domon's Campsite 3:13 A.M.  
  
Domon, Sai Saici, Argo and George stood in the cockpits of their mobile fighters, clad in the mobile trace suits, and ready to launch their attack on the 3 of 4 evil kings. Their crews stood behind the mobile fighters, watching as the boosters initiated.  
  
Rain watched as the God Gundam took the lead. The rush of air it sent as it blasted off towards the horizon blew her brown hair which had grown considerably longer, and she kept it back in a braid now. Her ultramarine eyes shimmered softly as she watch the machine disappear into the darkness, the blast of the booster no more distinct than any of the hundreds of stars which dotted the early morning sky. "Domon.... please return safely..."  
  
Dragon Gundam was next to leave, Keiun and Zuisen watched the now 20 year old Sai Saici (soon to be 21) rocket off after God Gundam. Their eyes filled with tears as they remembered Sai's last conversation with them. 'It'll be fine,' he had said, 'We'll take care of them, besides it's not like that have DG cells or anything...' He was a little too confident for their likes.  
  
Raymond looked on as the elegant Gundam Rose took off following the two that had already left. The machine glimmered with refinement in the moonlight. George wasn't as sure as Sai Saici was. He noted himself that despite the fact that outwardly he had grown but he still remained the same child at heart that he always was. Still, he was prepared to give his all, his violet eyes shimmering with determination.  
  
"Wait!" Nastasha called over the roar of Bolt Gundam's victor engine. The loud rush of noise ceased as Bolt Gundam turned around. Argo looked back at his former warden. Now, no longer a prison guard, Nastasha wore a long green skirt embroidered with black and a white linen blouse. Her wavy green hair that had been up in a neat bun was blown askew by the rush of Bolt Gundam's boosters preparing for take-off. Nastasha couldn't see it from where she stood but there was a glimmer of caring in Argo's eyes. A feeling of concern swept over her, a feeling of fear for Argo's safety. She shook it off as quickly as it had come on to her, "Remember what you are up against!" she shouted, her voice having the same angry quality as when he was her prisoner. However that wave of worry washed over her again, and her voice softened. "Be careful." The monolithic man nodded and reinitiated the engine and blasted off in the direction the other three had left in.  
  
The 5 crew members watching until the flares of the boosters slowly grow smaller as the Gundams soared into the distance. They all wandered back to Domon's campsite where Bunny, Cath, Janet, Shirley (all clothed in their usual magenta suits) and the Neo-Swedish scientists, who had been informed of Allenby's condition and arrived (with Nobel Gundam) the day before, were sitting around the campfire. Keiun, Zuisen, Raymond, and Nastasha sat down by them, feeling the warmth of the flames.  
  
Rain slipped inside the tent to check on Allenby and Chibodee. The two sat on cots side by side talking. Rain rummaged through her medical supplies as she talked to Allenby, "How are you feeling now?"  
  
Allenby shrugged. "O.K. I guess..."  
  
"Are you still in pain?"  
  
"A little..."  
  
Rain nodded and looked at the ground beside the cot noticing a full but cold plate of food. "Allenby, you haven't eaten ANYTHING since you got here!"  
  
"I know... you made it," Allenby replied.  
  
"Actually, that's not entirely true; Shrimpy came by yesterday with some rice," Chibodee spoke up.  
  
"That Sai is a good cook," Allenby smiled.  
  
Rain huffed. "If you don't get your nutrition level back up your energy level will decrease drastically when the serum wears off, and you'll die! At least take these," she said, handing her a few vitamins.  
  
Rain turned away, rummaging through her stuff which was mixed up with Domon's. She came across a crumpled piece of paper that Karato had given Domon months before. Her deep blue eyes glanced over the neat handwriting which belonged to her father-in-law. She folded up the paper and muttered softly, "Virtue itself turns vice being misapplied, and vice sometimes by action dignified."  
  
"Huh?!" Chibodee stared blankly at the Neo-Japanese woman.  
  
"It's Shakespeare, Chibodee..." Rain clued him in. "Dr. Kasshu was always a good man, he always tried to help humanity, but just as the Ultimate Gundam became the Devil Gundam, this serum was also created for the good of mankind. According to his notes he had originally set out to create a serum to bring temporary strength back to the weak and injured, people in your situation, Allenby. However he soon discovered that when applied to the healthy it gave them supernatural strength and transitory immortality and when applied to the dead it brought them temporarily back to life."  
  
3:39 AM 2 miles from the warehouse  
  
The 4 Gundams stood ready to put their plan into action.  
  
"It's just beyond that ridge," Argo's deep voice rumbled with determination.  
  
"Nothing to be worried about, it's 4 on 4, right?" Sai inquired making final preparations.  
  
"No," George said, doing the calculations. "Minus Walter Gundam and Master on our side that makes it 4 on 2."  
  
"Piece of cake!" Sai shouted as Dragon Gundam, Gundam Rose and Bolt Gundam started to make their final approach, God Gundam held back. "Bro?" Sai asked as Dragon Gundam stopped and turned around. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I have one last thing on my mind," Domon said, the King of Hearts crest lighting up on his hand. The other two mobile fighters stopped and turned around. Sai, George, and Argo all noted that their crests were glowing too. "My father died before documenting the side effects, we don't know what we are truly up against."  
  
The Jack of Diamonds, The Ace of Clubs, and The Black Joker nodded. Domon took a deep breath as a sense of strength washed over him. The panels on the back of God Gundam opened up and a halo of Red, orange, and yellow surrounded the super robot as it lifted several yards off the ground. The boosters initiated, and it sped forward taking the lead of the team. As God Gundam landed in front of the warehouse, the others were lagging behind. The 2 Gundams rushed to catch up but stopped short seeing a fireball engulf the Gundam of Gundams. Michelo had been prepared for their arrival.


End file.
